Fyi Miami

TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT: The South Florida Regional Transportation Organization has rescheduled its regional transportation summit. The session is now being held from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Jan. 11 in the Broward County Convention Center. Attendees can participate in one of three tracks: aviation, seaports, freight & goods movement; surface transportation; or integrating transportation and land use. State Secretary of Transportation Tom Barry and Mortimer L. Downey III, principal consultant with PBConsult, are keynote speakers. Cost is $75; $50 before Dec. 31. Details: (954) 467-6822 or greatermiami.com.

GABLES CHARRETTE: The City of Coral Gables will hold a charrette Jan. 10-14 at the City of Coral Gables Youth Center, 405 University Drive. The session is to focus on the growth and development of the city’s downtown and North Ponce de Leon Boulevard areas. The workshops begin with an update of pre-charrette meetings, organizers said. They said the weekend would include sessions specifically for merchants and business owners, government agencies, developers and property owners, and residents. Details: (305) 460-5311 or GablesCharrette2002.com.

AMBASSADOR EXIT: The Four Ambassadors Association, 800 Brickell Bay Drive, is circulating a petition to residents that would ask City of Miami officials to do a study and find a solution so residents can safely exit their parking garage off Southeast Eighth Street. According to the petition, the situation worsens when the Miami River Bridge opens, causing a standstill in the area for 10 to 15 minutes. The petition began circulating in mid-December.

PORT NEWS: Seven mega cruise ships will use the Port of Miami from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 29. The ships – from Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean International and Norweigan Cruise Line – will use on the north side of the port. Combined, they are more than a mile long and can carry more than 16,000 passengers. "The cruise season is at its peak November through April," said Seaport Director Charles A. Towsley. "We’re hoping that an increase in ships and a resurgence of people taking to the high seas will help our passenger count increase or remain at the same level f the previous year."

CONNECTING TO SPAIN: American and Iberia airlines established a connecting route from Dallas to Spain and other points in Europe through Miami as part of a new code-sharing agreement between the lines, which also allows customers to use frequent flier miles interchangeably. The connecting service from Dallas was launched Dec. 19.

GUSMAN DATES: After Sept. 11 events caused booking problems, Gusman Theater of the Performing Arts, 174 E Flagler St., is holding its 75th anniversary with a Roaring 20’s party from 8-10 p.m. Jan. 11. Organizers said it would feature bathtub gin, dancing and a vaudeville show. Cost is $25. At 10:30 a.m. Jan. 12, the theater will show six classic movies – including the Wizard of Oz, Viva Las Vegas, Casablanca and King Kong – for $4.75 each. Details: 372-0925.

BRAZIL IN 2002: The Brazilian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida is holding a two-day seminar, "Brazil Update 2002," from Feb. 28-March 1 at the downtown Hyatt Regency Hotel in Miami to look at economics, politics, taxes, ventures, similarities, differences, exporting and importing. "In order to have an interactive seminar," said Paul Rocha, chamber president. "the number of attendees will be very limited. It is important to confirm a reservation as soon as possible." Brochures with details are available. Cost is $895. Details; (305) 365-9422.

NEW LOWE AT ST. THOMAS: William B. Humphreys, coordinator at the University of Miami Lowe Art Museum, is exhibiting his work from Jan. 17-through March 1 in a show called "Love Drips and Gathers" at the St. Thomas University Atrium Art Gallery with an opening reception from 7.30-9.30 p.m. Jan. 17 in the Main Library, St. Thomas University, 16400 NW 32nd Ave. The exhibition and reception are open to the public and free of charge. Details: (305) 628-6667.

ETHICAL HONORS: The University of Miami School of Law’s Center for Ethics & Public Service has won the 2001 Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics & Public Trust’s annual ARETE Award, which recognizes individuals, programs and nonprofit organizations representing the spirit of virtue and excellence. The Center was cited for "ethical education and leadership in public service" programs. The award will officially be presented Jan. 23.

CARNIVAL LINE: Miami-based Carnival Cruise Line announced it has launched a Carnival Luggage Collection that will be sold nationwide. The three-piece, soft-sided luggage sets for adults and children, publicists said, will be sold at Bentley’s, Rich’s, El Portal and Travel 2000 outlets at a suggested retail price of $75 for children and $220 for adults.

NEW AT BOMA: Carmen Rodriguez has been appointed executive director of the Building Owners & Managers Association’s Greater Miami-Dade Inc. chapter. Ms. Rodriguez, a Nova Southeastern University graduate, had been for the past seven years with the Realtor Association of Dade County Inc. as a coordinator of marketing and membership services and activities. Meanwhile the organization, popularly known as BOMA, will install Murray S. Greene as president at a noon ceremony Jan. 9 in the Rusty Pelican, 3201 Rickenbacker Cswy. Mr. Greene is property manager with Winthrop Management. Sherwood Johnston III, president of BOMA International, is a special guest. Details: (305) 530-0083.

BOARD CHAIR: The Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities elected Jose A. Vicente chairman of its governing board. Mr. Vicente is president of the M-DCC Inter-American Campus in Miami and as chairman of his group said he is to be responsible for convening the association’s executive committee as needed. The 318-member organization states its primary objective as "to improve access to, and the quality of, post-secondary educational opportunities for Hispanic students," which it numbers at 4 million in the US, Puerto Rico and abroad. The organization’s role in national dialogue," Dr. Vicente said, "is vital, as it helps craft higher education policy."

COMPUTER BANK: Commercebank announced it has launched a five-year initiative, "Connecting with Foster Kids," to place computers in foster homes. In the first round, computers were recently placed in 20 foster homes in cooperation with the Florida Department of Children & Families, said Millar Wilson, Commercebank president. "We want," Mr. Wilson said, "to ensure that school-aged children in foster homes have the same access to technology as other students." He said there are more than 1,800 school-age children in foster care in more than 600 homes in the county. To qualify for a computer, a family must be involved in Florida Department of Children & Families programs for five or more years.

MILLER TIME: The Sue & Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies at the University of Miami is holding free talks by Rabbi Jack Reimer, who will speak on "David, Bathsheba & Woody Allen" on Jan. 31 and Norman A. Steller, who talks on "Muslim-Jewish Relations" on Feb. 6. Rabbi Reimer is former senior rabbi for Beth David Congregation and Dr. Stillman is a professor of Judaic history at the University of Oklahoma. Both talks are held at 8 p.m. in the UM Faculty Club, 1550 Brescia Ave., Coral Gables. RSVP. Details: (305) 284-6882.

VILLAGE TRIBUTE: The City of North Bay Village gave the Student Government Association at the Miami-Dade Community College Wolfson a key to the city and honors as "organization of the year." The M-DCC group, represented by Kattia Latino, president, were recognized for aligning "their community service goals with those of the college," said Wasim Shomar, Wolfson interim campus president. Activities by the student government group to be cited included fundraising for United Way and toy drives for needy families.

MONEY-LAUNDERING MEET: Miami-based Money Laundering Alert is holding its seventh annual conference Feb. 20-22 in the Fontainebleau Hilton Resort, 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. Topics will include compliance with new terrorism money-laundering laws, new regulations in private and correspondent banking, and how new laundering schemes work. Cost is $1,395 for two days, $1,595 for three. Details: (305) 530-0500.